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Used Cooking Oils in the Biogas Chain: A Technical and Economic Assessment

Author

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  • Erika Carnevale

    (Department of Agricultural and Food Sciences, University of Bologna, Viale Giuseppe Fanin 50, 40127 Bologna, Italy)

  • Giovanni Molari

    (Department of Agricultural and Food Sciences, University of Bologna, Viale Giuseppe Fanin 50, 40127 Bologna, Italy)

  • Matteo Vittuari

    (Department of Agricultural and Food Sciences, University of Bologna, Viale Giuseppe Fanin 50, 40127 Bologna, Italy)

Abstract

The current concerns on global energy security, climate change, and environmental pollution represent some of the major elements of the growing interest on renewable energy. In this framework agro-food energy systems are at the center of a twofold debate: on the one hand they represent a key option for energy production while on the other their sustainability is threatened by the expansion of the bioenergy market that could lead to negative social and environmental consequences. The aim of this work is to evaluate—through a case study—the technical and economic feasibility of the replacement of energy crops (ECs) with used cooking oil (UCO) in an anaerobic digestion (AD) full-scale plant. At this purpose, a full-scale plant performing AD was monitored for two years. Three scenarios were developed and compared to evaluate the impacts and the potential benefits in terms of land saving in case of a substitution of ECs with UCO. Results highlighted a reduction of land use of over 50% if UCO is introduced in co-digestion with ECs. The lack of an appropriate legislative framework limits the utilization of used cooking oils (UCOs) in AD with a consequently missed opportunity for biogas owners that could find an important alternative in UCO.

Suggested Citation

  • Erika Carnevale & Giovanni Molari & Matteo Vittuari, 2017. "Used Cooking Oils in the Biogas Chain: A Technical and Economic Assessment," Energies, MDPI, vol. 10(2), pages 1-13, February.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jeners:v:10:y:2017:i:2:p:192-:d:89785
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. De Menna, Fabio & Malagnino, Remo Alessio & Vittuari, Matteo & Segrè, Andrea & Molari, Giovanni & Deligios, Paola A. & Solinas, Stefania & Ledda, Luigi, 2018. "Optimization of agricultural biogas supply chains using artichoke byproducts in existing plants," Agricultural Systems, Elsevier, vol. 165(C), pages 137-146.
    2. Spyridon Achinas & Johan Horjus & Vasileios Achinas & Gerrit Jan Willem Euverink, 2019. "A PESTLE Analysis of Biofuels Energy Industry in Europe," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 11(21), pages 1-24, October.

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